Brotherhood
by Hail the Wolves
Summary: He was just a street rat, living off of what he and his Brotherhood could find. She libed as a princess, living the life of a canary with clipped wings in that gilded cage. When the two come together in an odd way, only time will tell their adventures.
1. We Begin

Summary: These people are all I have. My family might be there for me, but I could never go home to that house. Too many memories. -Ichigo Why does life have to be so simple? Do this, not that, that's all. For once, I want to break the rules. Tonight, I'm leaving my perfect world. –Rukia. IchiRuki AU fanfic.

Chapter 1: True family

The streets were one of the few places Ichigo felt comfortable. In fact, it was the only place he felt he even belonged. The coarse brick made his back as he leaned against the rain soaked wall. The back of his skull leaned against the red material. His standard katana lay next to him, stored in a plain black sheath. Who was he to care that sharpened blades were not allowed to be carried around in public? That blade had been one of the few things that kept him alive.

His gang sat around him, equally stoic and silent. They all pretty much had the same past as him. Everyone had experienced something that had made them feel life wasn't worth living.

_Kaa-san? Kaa-san, Please, please wake up!_

_Otou-san, stop! Otou-san please, don't hurt okaa-san! Ow, otou-san, please stop, that hurts otou-san!_

_No, don't hurt him he's my friend! Leave him alone, leave him alone!_

_Kaa-san, please don't leave me! Don't leave tou-san and me! Tou-san, why are you drinking that? No, tou-san, no! Tou-san, please stop, I don't like that!_

_Wh-why do you have a knife nee-chan? Okaa-san said we weren't supposed to touch those… Ow! Why did you cut me?! Keep that needle away from me… OW!_

_You guys…don't...don't leave… me… Shit… I'm… gonna die…_

Something had happened to every single one of them, and it bonded them together, closer than blood. They had become siblings, a brotherhood of sorts, except for their one sister of course. Ichigo looked around at his siblings one more time. His two closest brothers sat next to him, Toushirou in his right left and Renji on his left. Renji stood, looking out to the end of the alleyway in case they were ambushed by another gang during the night. The sheath of his sword was tied to a loop on his pants with a simple piece of cord; the sword was gripped naked in his hand, ready for anything. Toushirou sat next to him, head bowed, his sheathed blade clasped tightly in his hand. He looked to be dozing, but he was thinking, like he always did.

His one "sister" and childhood friend, Tatsuki, was sitting directly across from him, staring into his amber eyes. They needed no words to communicate with each other. Too long had they been suffering together, too long had they been fighting. Tatsuki had opted out of the traditional blade, and instead hid a knife in her tall socks. She said that it helped her appear more womanly, and that helped when she tried to rob someone. Ichigo believed it was because she didn't want to have to constantly look at something that reminded her of who she and everyone else had become.

Shuuhei stood across from Renji, in the exact same position as well. He also was looking for any signs of danger that could come from the alleyway entrance. His eyes were almost glazed over, but his body was tensed and alert. His sword was also clasped in his hand, tensed and ready to be drawn at a moment's notice. His head was turned so his scar and tattoo were clearly visible. The testaments to his past.

The last member of their brotherhood was Ikkaku, who stood on the other side of Tatsuki. He looked up to the sky, as though someone might jump down and attack from above. His sword was held across his shoulders supported by his arms.

Ichigo sighed. This was his family. Sure, he had a place where he could go. His two sisters, his father, they would welcome him back. Most of the people gathered here had another house to go to, with a bed and food waiting for them. It was their decision to stay out on the wet nights, in the ripped up denim jeans and stained cotton T-shirts. Everyone was wearing the same basic outfit. Same denim, same white t-shirts. The only thing different at all was their shoes, and those themselves were full of holes and falling apart. The sneakers clung to their feet with a hope of staying alive. The members also hung onto the shoes for dear life. If they completely disintegrated, they would be out of footwear until they had the money for it. Ichigo refused to steal, and his group would follow his law in this area. His brotherhood would have dignity, would be able to hold something over the common riff-raff out there.

He stood. He was the only one that had a difference in his clothing. He wore a sleeveless haori, one that was of the purest white at one point in time. It was detailed with vertical lines and diamonds at the bottom, the back of the cape like jacket simply stated in vertical kanji "Shinigami". The second Ichigo even stood, everyone's eyes snapped towards him. When he began to exit the alleyway, the group followed like a flock of lemmings. Where he went, they he went.

They exited the entryway to the alley cautiously, not wanting to be spotted. They had rested in another, much larger gang's territory. But when your comrades had been walking and running with you for about twenty four hours, there wasn't much else to do.

As they walked the sidewalks briskly, Ichigo looked back at his family. The clothing was getting worse, and everyone looked like a half-starved dog. He knew that probably looked worse, he usually would give any food to whoever was worse off that day. A new leader could always be elected by the people, but the leader couldn't truly choose who he wanted to rule if they didn't want to be helped. Well, it was time to find some work.

Yeah, life sucked.

Rukia felt comfortable in pretty much anywhere. She enjoyed parties, dances, and attention. It made her feel good to be the center of something.

She observed her friends with her always critical eye and was glad with what she saw.

Her best friend, Hinamori Momo, was sitting on her left, right next to the door of the sleek car. Her eyes were bright and happy as she chatted with Kira Izuru, who was sitting on the right elongated side of the vehicle. They both held a can of soda in their hands while they talked about nonsense. Well, Momo did most of the talking. Izuru listened intently to whatever the girl was blathering on about. The two had been friends long before Rukia had even met Momo. They had met in elementary school, and were pretty much inseparable.

On her right- next to the other door- sat her newest friend Yamada Hanatarou. A large medical book was laid across his lap, which he read intently. The young boy was extremely shy; he would often step back and allow the others to talk.

Sitting next to Izuru was Shiba Kaien. He was two years senior to everyone. She blushed just looking at him. His messy mop of hair, casual yet dominating demeanor, that soft smile that could easily turn into a teasing smirk… her blush grew a shade deeper, as her smile grew. She couldn't help it. Even though she knew his biggest secret, she couldn't help it.

They were all seventeen, so that made Kaien nineteen. Not only that, but he was engaged. His parents had set up the marriage when the two had been children. Her name was Miyako, and Kaien was completely and totally infatuated with her. Rukia knew that she would never get a chance with him. But she dreamed.

The young man was talking to the last person limo, Matsumoto Rangiku. She was just a year older than Rukia, but the woman could have easily passed as twenty five. She was laughing at whatever Kaien had just said.

That completed their entourage. This was their posse, their clique, their group. Nothing changed and no one changed. Everyone in this car came from wealthy or noble families and had promising futures. Most were destined to take over the family business, mostly dominating families that had controlled stocks and power for years.

But it was Saturday, and they had the next day off. Everyone was heading to Rukia's place for the next party. The most coveted invite of the year, and only the best were invited. Every year, Rukia would host a party at her brother's mansion, the largest in all of the upside Karakura district. Even her closest friends would suck up a little to try to make sure they would get an invite. Rukia always laughed at this. But they were on their way now, about to ready themselves for the biggest night of the year.

Rukia leaned her head back on the seat of the limo, smiling. There was this tiny little nagging feeling in the back of her mind, one that she could not identify. She wasn't going to let that ruin her night though. She was going to have a blast, dancing and partying all night long.

Yes, life was good.

Okay, so this is my first Bleach fanfiction right now. I have published some from Naruto, but I am now completely and totally immersed in the world of Bleach. So, please leave a comment! I'll give you a cookie!


	2. Hired

Woot! Chapter two of Brotherhood. Okay, so I don't have much to say, except I sadly don't own any characters created by the awesomely awesome Kubo-sensei. Okay, I'm going to write now.

Ichigo stalked down the street even further, his eyes twitching back and forth as he looked for possible enemies. Seeing none, he motioned for everyone to follow. They were heading in to neutral territory, where they would be safe from attacks. But right now, they still had about two blocks until they were in the middle of Karakura and safe.

Ichigo glanced around a corner one more time, then signaled for everyone to follow suit as he rounded the corner. Jogging quickly down the road, everyone fell into step as they went down the straight single line. Eyes darted back and forth hastily as they looked for a flicker of movement, or shift in the lighting that would indicate a person hiding deep in the shadows.

They emerged on a busy street, people bustling back and forth and too busy to notice the group of scraggly teenagers. They kept their heads down, trying to keep the blades on their sides as inconspicuous as possible. A few people turned their heads to look inquisitively at them, but looked away without turning back. They weren't bothering them, so why should they bother?

After walking a few more blocks, the gang arrived at a small hidden store called Urahara Shoten. The store front was plain and simple; not citing whatever was sold inside its walls. Ichigo led his group around to the back of the store, where they entered through an unlocked door reversed for…"employees".

The group proceeded down a hallway with low set lights, which was lined with traditional paper doors.

"Hat-n-clogs! Where are you, you old geezer?!" Ichigo yelled out, his voice resonating off the walls of the store.

"Ara, ara, not so loud Kurosaki-kun. Some people are trying to rest," a tall man exited a door on the right of the dim hallway. Dressed in a green overcoat, with a white and green striped hat, an open fan hiding his facial features behind it.

"Bull," Ichigo growled. His siblings behind him smirked or frowned in response. "Do you have anything for us to do? We need some cash Urahara."

"Hai, hai, follow me. I have some requests in the back."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me!" Ichigo slammed his fist into the low wooden table that he was sitting at. The papers in front of him fluttered slightly, and a few papers flew down towards the floor. His brotherhood sat behind him with their legs folded and scowling. Urahara sat across from Ichigo, with two children and a rather muscular man sitting behind him.

"Ara, Kurosaki-kun, calm down. This is all we have for you right now. You can take it or leave it."

Ichigo sighed. He hated having to do this, but it was the only way to get some money. Whenever the gang was down on their luck and were having some trouble with achieving food, they would often arrive at Urahara's for work. He paid under the table, so Ichigo and the others never worried about being caught. Unfortunately, it usually involved some annoying, and sometimes dirty, work.

"Alright, alright. We'll take it."

"Kuchiki-sama! Kuchiki-sama!" Rukia turned at the call of her name, disturbing her midnight locks as her hair dresser attempted to stylize her hair. The woman grumbled, annoyed that she had shifted, messing up the design. Rukia had ignored her. The woman was getting paid an enormous amount of money to pay attention to Rukia, and she could deal with it.

"Yachiru-chan? What are you doing here? Shouldn't you be with Kenpachi-san?" The bubble-gum haired girl smiled up cutely at Rukia. Kenpachi Zaraki was her brother's bodyguard, and Yachiru was his adopted daughter. Yachiru was always with him, sometimes choosing to wander through the mansion's rooms though. Rukia knew that no one needed to worry about the tiny child, who could scare away the most vicious of the guard dogs her brother owned.

"Kenny said that I could come play with you!" The little child smiled happily, her bright green eyes shining.

Rukia smiled back at the child. "Well, I think I have time to play fo—" She felt an insistent tug on her head.

"I don't think so Kuchiki-sama," the hair dresser admonished. "I finally got your hair just right, and I will not ever get it to look like this again. Besides, you still need to put your dress on, and then head downstairs to approve the place settings, and then the DJ will be arriving soon, and you need to approve the music list," Rukia turned around to see that yes, the taller woman was actually reading from a list that someone had sent her.

Rukia sighed. She had wanted to play with the little munchkin. "Sorry Yachiru-chan, I guess I can't then. Tomorrow, okay?" The little child's face fell, then instantly lit up again.

"Okay Kuchiki-sama! You better keep your promise!" with that, the child zoomed off, as fast as a speeding greyhound.

Rukia shook her head. She had told the child before to call her Rukia, but had accidently said it in front of Byakuya. The pipsqueak had been told off by the intimidating man, saying she may _not_ address her so informally. It seemed he was one of the only people that could intimidate her, besides Zaraki of course.

She looked into the mirror that was perched on the counter in front of her. Rukia gazed heavily at her reflection. She knew people whispered behind her back that she was beautiful, maybe the most beautiful in the school or whatever event she attended. She didn't agree with them though. Her eyes were too large, her nose too small, and a piece of her hair refused to leave her face. Not to mention, she was only slightly taller than some elementary students. She knew the stylist had done the best with what she had.

Her hair had been pulled back into a tight bun, that single piece if hair still hanging in front of her face. The woman had said it added style, a bit of class. Beforehand, someone else had come in to apply her make-up. A light layer of lip gloss made her already pink lips sparkle, and a touch of blush highlighted her milky skin. The make-up artist said that since her eyes were already an odd shade of violet, eye shadow or eye liner would be wasteful and overdone. Rukia wasn't really sure if that was a compliment or an insult.

She sighed again, rose from her chair, and thanked the hair dresser. She told her that her brother would send the check in the mail, and the woman's face lit up. That would make her… year probably.

Rukia walked back into the mammoth bedroom that was hers. She saw multiple dresses laid out on the bed, a maid pulling shoes and accessories out, matching them with the right outfit.

She walked over to the gigantic bed, big enough to fit at least five people sleeping in it at once, and comfortably too. She still was lost to the fact that she had it, much less the fact that she would actually need it.

She started looking at all the planned outfits, feeling a slight pang of annoyance. Wasn't she old enough to decide her own outfits? No, apparently she was too classy to do something as lowly as going through her own closet.

"I think I'll use this one," She stopped at a little black dress, with classic spaghetti straps, and just the slightest flair at the bottom. The inside tag read some famous designer's name, as did the black high heels that accompanied it. A pair of diamond stud earrings and a drop necklace with a single diamond hanging from it completed the outfit. Rukia wondered briefly what her friends would be wearing. The event was white tie, and everyone was going to be here tonight.

Rukia changed into her outfit, ignoring the maid who was placing the dresses back onto the hangers, the shoes on the rack, and the jewelry in the expansive box. She gazed around her room, noting the tasteful leather couches, the finely crafted tables, and the plush rugs.

After donning her gown, Rukia nodded in the direction of the maid, trying to say thank you through her actions. A Kuchiki is _never_ to say thank you to anyone who works for them. It was unbecoming.

She started downstairs, bracing her mind and body for an onslaught of commands, admonishes, and requests. She looked at the clock, noting it was about five-thirty PM. She had about an hour and a half until guests would begin to arrive. She mentally went through the list in her mind.

As she headed down the winding staircase, she heard her friends' laughter leak through the walls. The girls were in one room, and the boys were across the hall. She had wanted to join them but no: she had duties to attend to.

She sighed for… what was it? The third time that evening? Just thinking about made her sigh again.

She arrived at the bottom of the stairs, staring at the table with places set in a few different styles. Damn. This was going to be a long hour and a half.

"Okay, so it looks like we get to play ninja today," Ichigo was lecturing his siblings about their current job offer. Everyone was looking up at him, while subconsciously fingering their new clothing. Ichigo hated these kinds of jobs, mostly because it put them out in the open to be discovered. A few of them were being tracked, attempts to place them in child protective services or something. But they didn't need it. They had each other.

But _damn_, Ichigo had no idea the employer would pay this much. Apparently, a man had come to Urahara requesting some hirable bodyguards, and had given him a check for the before payment. And that meant they would still be getting more cash.

The first payment had been enough to by everyone a new set of clothing, including shoes, as well as a decent meal. And with the prospect of another large sum of money coming in, no could wait for this job.

"Some rich guy needs to protect his house tonight. He has security around already, but doesn't seem to think they'll be enough. He has some huge shindig going on, and he thinks some people are going to try to crash it. So it's up to us to make sure nothing happens. Got it?" Everyone nodded enthusiastically.

"Oi, Ichigo," Toushirou spoke up. "Who is this guy anyway? I mean, why would he think a group of teenagers would do better than highly trained professionals?"

Ichigo smirked. "Well for one, we are some of the best fighters in Karakura. And two, I have no clue why he thinks that. And to answer your first question, his name is," Ichigo looked down at the slip Urahara had given him with the employer's name, number, and address, as well as a confirmation note from Urahara stating that they were the team. "Kuchiki Byakuya."

And a shiver bristled through the crowd.

(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)~(~)

Few, all done! Sorry I took so long guys, but at least it's out right? Heh heh, don't kill me. ~ Cowers in fear~ Well, this time in honor of Thanksgiving, I'll give you a pie if you review!


	3. Introductions and Meeting Once Again

I was so happy with the result of the last chapter that I decided to update even sooner! Yay for updates! Onward, march!

Chapter 3: Introductions and Meeting Once Again

"Kuchiki-sama, what do you think of this set?"

"Kuchiki-sama, the silverware still needs to be approved…"

"Kuchiki-sama, do you really think that dress is appropriate?"

_Will you all just shut the hell up!_ Rukia wanted to scream at every single person talking to her at this very moment. The multiple voices swirled inside her cranium, and she could just _feel_ the migraine coming on.

She attempted to discreetly rub her forehead, trying to take the edge off the pain. She had no inkling as to why her brother left her in charge of these things. Maybe, just maybe, to distract her from the more business-like affairs? Well, whatever it was, it was starting to piss her off.

"That music list is fine, that setting is perfect, and Nii-sama had this dress picked out for me," She answered all of their questions in one breath, shocking them all by her sudden outburst. She needed air.

"I'll be in the courtyard if anyone needs me," her heels clicked slightly against the marble flooring, startling the servants and staff as they ran around to finish everything demanded of them.

She turned through at least five hallways to before finally arriving in the central courtyard. The mansion had been built around the greenery of the area. It opened directly to the heavens, but the sun was already beginning to set, resulting in a colorful paint smeared sky.

She sat on a bench in between two Sakura trees, bearing their beautiful green leaves. They may not be as famous as their pink counterparts, but Rukia liked them just the same. They still symbolized life, beauty, health…

Rukia shook her head, pain shooting through her skull as the bobby pins poked her sensitive skin. She needed to be prepping her mind for noble and wealthy warfare. The head of every major corporation would be at this mansion tonight, as well as all of their sons and daughters, the future generation of the business world. The adults were to be in one room, and the children in another. And Rukia, being the heir to quite possibly the most influential business in Japan, and maybe the world as well, had to interact with both.

The children were here to party, listening to music and enjoy food. The adults came to be manipulative, greedy bastards that only wanted to increase their standings. And she just _had_ to smile and be polite while they looked at her like a piece of meat to married off to their sons.

Her eyes were closed, and she was rubbing her head so hard she didn't even notice the heavy footsteps approaching her perch. A tall body plopped down beside her.

"Can't deal huh?" She was shocked to hear his voice. Kaien had come to the garden as well, and a small stain spread across her cheeks of the thought of them alone.

"Uh…yeah. Too many people asking too many questions," She huffed slightly in indignation.

Kaien cracked that small smirk she had come to love. He was playing with her, and she knew it; he would make her spill whatever she was feeling and it was so easy too. She was an open book to him.

"Try thinking of them in their underwear: that always works for me when I had to make a speech at school."

She cocked her eyebrows and looked up at him with disdain. "Only problem is, this isn't a speech, and I'm not in school."

He pouted and looked back down at her. "So? Still doesn't mean it won't work."

She giggled at his facial expression. How easy it was to talk to him. He was the only person she knew who fully accepted her. Everyone else was scared to become too close, her family's status just too scary. But Kaien had made brash and bold entrance into her life from her first day of high school.

"Kuchiki-sama, Kuchiki-sama! Where are you?"

Rukia's ears perked up at the sound of her name. It seemed she was needed once again. She sighed and rose from her nest on the bench.

She smiled at Kaien and told him thanks. He merely looked back up at her, smirked, and replied with:

"Just don't overwork yourself Kuchiki."

She couldn't help but jog out blushing after that.

~/~/~

_CLANG!_

Ichigo's metal blade clashed ominously against Toushirou's smaller one. The two were training, as was everyone else, for their job later on that night. Ichigo twirled in a circle, attempting to strike Toushirou from behind. Knowing he would catch it in time though, placed his entire strength into the blow. Just as he had predicted, Toushirou placed his blade in time to parry the blow behind his back, his arm bending up and over his head. Using the fact that Toushirou's equilibrium was off, Ichigo twisted his blade into Toushirou's, causing the younger boy to stumble. Taking advantage of Toushirou's fall, swiveled and stuck his foot behind Toushirou's, causing him to flat out fall. To complete the match, Ichigo was about to stab to the side of Toushirou's head, but the smaller male rolled in the opposite direction, using momentum to bring himself back to his feet.

Ichigo snarled, and lashed out once again with his sword. Around him, he faintly noticed the spars around them, such as Renji and Ikkaku and then Tatsuki and Shuuhei. Renji and Ikkaku seemed determined to down at least two trees from the ring that protected their clearing. The maniacs had no concern of self-preservation, or of the preservation of the surrounding flora. Shuuhei was "fighting" Tatsuki, while really half-assing it to not harm her. Which just led to Tatsuki becoming completely pissed off. Even though, she was the only girl, Tatsuki could fight almost as well as anyone else in the group. Which, of course, led to Shuuhei's downfall, as Tatsuki swept his legs out from underneath him, causing him to fall down onto his butt. He was clearly embarrassed, and was now nursing his injuries in a corner.

"Okay guy, I think that's enough," He everyone ended their spar is they weren't finished already. The group stretched, trying to rid their aching limbs of their stiffness.

"Well, that was decent. We should be fine for tonight. Just be careful of guns and like; I don't think anyone is fast enough to outrun a bullet," The group smirked at his last statement.

Ichigo looked up at the clock tower, noting they had about an hour until they were due at their employers. And since they had to cut through another gang's territory to get to the richer area of town, they had to get going.

"Okay guys, let's go. We've got a long walk ahead of us."

~/~/~

After avoiding several crowds, a few cops, and one gang patrolling their territory, Ichigo and co. finally arrived in the gated area of Karakura, where the elite guarded themselves from the riff-raff of the city.

And it worked very well. A rock wall surrounded the enclosure, but was perfectly flat to prevent climbing. The only way in or out was manned twenty four-seven, with bullet-proof glass on all sides and the exit and entrance roads had gates that rose and fell with a push of a button from the guard, to keep out strange pedestrians and cars as well.

Everyone single one of Ichigo's siblings, including himself, was trembling just slightly with nervousness. Anyone of these people that lived here could turn them into the authorities if they just looked at them the wrong way.

Ichigo strode up to the gatehouse with determination, trying hard not give a hint of his fear.

"We're here to see Kuchiki Byakuya," the guard, a burly man with a thick beard and a thinning head of hair, looked at him incredulously, doubting that this common boy was there to see the richest man here.

"I don't think so son," The man's hand began to sneak down to his gun, as if to threaten Ichigo.

Ichigo growled under his breath. He hated being treated like a street rat, even if that's what he was. He was going to get a kick out of proving this man wrong.

"Well, you see _sir,_" Ichigo taunted the man, pulling out the note Urahara had given him, just in case, "I have Byakuya's signature right here. And I don't think he'll be too happy if you keep his ahem, guests, waiting," Ichigo smirked as the man grabbed the slip, and watched as the man's bearded face changed from red to white.

"Well, uh, everything here seems to be in order," The guard gulped, pressing the button to lower the gate protecting the neighborhood. Ichigo walked through the entrance smugly, while everyone followed behind, sending a few glares at the guard.

Now that they were inside, by force of habit mostly, the quickly jogged through the neighborhood, gazing in awe at the size of these houses. They varied slightly in size, but they seemed to grow gradually as they headed towards the center of the area.

After taking a few wrong turns—the place was huge, even if only the supremely rich could live there—the group finally arrived at the Kuchiki household. And _damn,_ the place was enormous. It completely towered over all of the surrounding buildings, and definitely occupied the most land. The front door wasn't even visible from the end of the driveway for Kami's sake!

Ichigo looked back at his team, all of them with large eyes and unhinged jaws. He scowled at them, mostly because they had a reason to be astonished like this. The entire gravel driveway was lined with Sakura trees, groomed to perfection. The lawn behind it expanded for what seemed miles, and each blade was precisely cut. There were sporadic gardens with native and foreign flowers placed on the lawn. And then there was the house itself.

The building had to be at least four stories tall, if not more. It extended so far back that its full depth could not be grasped. It was built with a more western look to it than a traditional Japanese home, but the architecture had some definite influences. The wrought-iron gate was thrown wide open in preparation for the guests that would be arriving soon.

Ichigo turned back to them. "I guess we better get going," With that, he turned towards the drive and began to run.

~/~/~

"Okay, so at seven, everyone will gather in the grand hall for dinner. Oh, make sure that the Matsumoto's and the Ichimaru's are separated. I think there might be some feud going on right now—"

"Kuchiki-sama, Kuchiki-sama!"

Rukia's eye twitched and vein began to become pronounced in her forehead. She was beginning to find that her name being repeated over and over again by servants who couldn't think for themselves was starting to get annoying. "Yes?"

A maid came up to her with a deep bow and said, "There are visitors at the door. They said they are here to meet your brother, but we were instructed to not let anyone speak to him until the festivities began. Shall I send them away?"

"No, I'll go see them," She sent the maid away with a nod and the servant she had been talking to away as well. Then, taking way too many complicated hallways to remember unless you had memorized a map beforehand (which was exactly what she had done when she had moved in with her brother), she arrived at the front door where a group of teenagers were standing, with a fearful maid trying to force them through the doorway.

"Uh, please sir, you really shouldn't be in here until Kuchiki-sama says it is okay…" She stopped as the leader with orange hair looked down on her.

"Look, I really don't care. We were told to be here by five, and we're here. So can we just see this Byakuya guy already?" Rukia could tell that the boy was becoming impatient. His eyebrows were dangerously close to touching from his scowl, and his entire posture was tensed. She noted his ridiculously orange hair, and how it was probably died. She noticed a few other strange hairstyles, but couldn't match any faces to them, as they were hidden behind Ichigo. She decided this would be a good time to make herself known.

"Nii-sama is busy at the moment. But I think I could help you," She noticed the entire group turn towards her voice. The first thing she noticed was that the party was almost completely male, except for one girl who looked like she could definitely defend herself. As did all of the boys in the group. Also, they all seemed to about her age, seventeen, except for one boy that seemed about fifteen.

And then she noticed the red hair, the tattoos, the much defined face… and then it clicked.

"Renji!"

"Rukia!"

They had called each other's name at the same time, and then Rukia found that her feet were no longer touching the ground and the walls were spinning. Renji had dashed towards her, picked her up, and had begun to spin in circles as a few of the maids or servants in the area gasped, and Renji's friends rolled their eyes and relaxed slightly.

"Renji! Put me you down you baboon!" Rukia couldn't help but laugh. She tried to be mad at him, but it had been so long since they had seen each other… she probably would have done the same thing if she had the muscle mass to lift him.

"Oi, Renji, put the girl down. She's the one paying us you know," Renji sent a death glare towards Toushirou, who was the one who had decided to become the commentator.

"Shut it Shiro. Can't you see I'm getting reacquainted here?" After about five seconds he seemed to realize that he was the only there that new Rukia personally.

"Oh everyone this is Kuchiki Rukia. She was a street rat like us at one time," Rukia delivered a swift elbow to his ribcage.

"Don't say street rat, its rude," Rukia straightened her spine while Renji doubled over. "Hello, as the moron said before, my name is Kuchiki Rukia. But as I said before, Nii-sama is busy. So how can I help you?"

The one with the orange hair spoke next. "Your brother hired us. He said he needed more guards for tonight or something, and well, here we are," He shrugged and motioned towards his group.

Rukia glared at the carrot-top. "You know, it's universally polite to introduce yourself and your partners before jumping the gun."

Ichigo's scowl deepened. "Fine then. Hajimeshite, Boku wa Kurosaki Ichigo da ze. Douzo yoroshiku," He finished with an over-done bow. "This is Hitsugaya Toushirou, Hisagi Shuuhei, Madarame Ikkaku, and Arisawa Tatsuki. You already know Renji apparently."

Rukia was very, very tempted to punch him in the gut. "And for future reference, you should refrain from using such impolite speech in front of your employers." She sent an icy gaze towards him, and then turned around. "Well, if you all follow me, we can—"

At that moment, one of the most imposing figures walked down the posh staircase. Tall and classically dark hair, the man was the epitome of a noble family. His carriage, his hair, right down to the very expression on his face, just screamed _I'm better than you._

Everyone, including Rukia, tensed as the man descended. Ichigo on the other hand, just became irritated. He knew that this man had more money than he could ever dream of even seeing, but he could probably kick his ass any day. He had to stop himself from grasping the hilt of his katana, and to stay calm and not say anything that would lose them the money.

"I am Kuchiki Byakuya. I am assuming that you are the team Urahara sent?" Ichigo nodded while the others uncomfortably shifted behind him.

"Yeah," as Byakuya finished his decline, Ichigo noticed that the much older man only had maybe half a head on him. Sure, he seemed in shape for someone his age, but it shouldn't be too hard to take him down.

Byakuya scrutinized the team. "You'll do," He turned back, heading back towards where he came from.

"Follow me. We will discuss your assignment further in my study," He made true motion for them to follow, only ascending the staircase. Ichigo nodded his head towards the staircase, his siblings following him. Rukia made to follow as well, but was stopped when Byakuya called down to her, "Rukia, I believe that the chefs need to know if everything has been made for tonight. Would you please check in on them?"

Rukia looked up to him, confused for a nanosecond. Then she realized what her brother had said, and then left them alone, annoyed and slightly hurt.

"If you would follow me," Byakuya began the climb up the spiraling staircase once again, with Ichigo and the rest following.

~/~/~

Yay! I finished chapter three! I didn't think I would finish it this fast. But I thankfully did, and now I have to write the next chapters for Kidnapped and for Who You Are… well, not tonight. I'm going to go see the Trans-Siberian Orchestra! WOOT! Jaa nee!


	4. Before the Party

And here's chapter four! I love this story. And to anyone who reads my Naruto stories, I am really sorry. I just haven't really been into Naruto recently, so it's a little hard for me to keep on writing. They might have to go on hiatus (I hate having to do that. I really liked them…). Well, otherwise, back to Brotherhood!

~/~/~

Chapter 4: Before the Party

"This party is very important for the business world. Multi-billion deals could be made tonight, and we cannot risk something… happening, so to speak. And although there is already plenty security already around the building, I needed a few young people to blend into the crowd as well. This event will be separated into two groups: the adults, and children of the attending adults. The teenagers are all about your age; between fifteen and seventeen. And though they are technically harmless, I would like some extra protection around Rukia. Many parents have instructed their offspring to become closer to Rukia."

"If you don't mind me asking, why is that a bad thing? Shouldn't she be socializing with her future business partners?" Toushirou, ever the curious genius, needed to understand the older man's logic.

"If you must know, yes, should socialize with them. But not everyone has the same meaning of socializing," He turned to the whole group. "That is why you are all here. Rukia is still rather innocent compared to most of her age group. She will follow someone if they ask to see her somewhere no one can notice them or hear them. It has almost happened before."

He looked at the present group, gauging their reactions. The boy whom seemed like the leader, Ichigo he believed his name was, looked curious but slightly bored. The child who had questioned him, Toushirou from the introductions if he was correct, looked the same as his leader. The kid from Rukia's childhood, Renji, was completely oblivious to the proceedings. Ikkaku looked the same as the tattooed kid. The one named Hisagi was holding the pommel of his sword, gripping it tighter as the conversation continued. The only girl, Tatsuki, was the only one who seemed to be fully concentrating on their instructions.

"So basically, we have to babysit the girl?" Ichigo paraphrased. He was looking at Byakuya intently now, staring him down directly.

"To put it in the simplest of terms, yes. But you will all be stationed in separate areas. Also, you will need to blend in. Your current… _ahem_, wardrobe, will give you away quickly. I had Urahara send over all of your measurements. A servant will guide you to where they are. Each of your names are written on the inside label. Oh, and here," He handed a slip of paper to Ichigo, "This is where I would like everyone to be positioned."

Ichigo looked down at the list. Each name had a detailed description of where the person was supposed to be throughout the festivities.

_Man, this is one overprotective brother…_

He placed the slip of paper in his pocket. He would go over it after they had all changed.

"The party starts at six, and it is five now. You have one hour to get dressed and position yourselves in the necessary areas. I expect you to be there on time. You may all leave," The man pressed a button on the phone that was on the desk he was standing behind. "Tanaka, come in here," An aging man entered the room, bowing deeply as he stepped inside.

"Yes sir? You called for me."

"Please take these young people to the guest where the formal wear was delivered. They need to get changed before tonight's celebration begins."

"Of course sir. If you will follow me, sirs, madam," The butler waved his arm to the door, indicating for them to leave.

"Urahara recommended you as his best. Do not disappoint me," And with that, he sat down in his chair, turning his head back towards a small stack of papers, an obvious dismissal.

The teenagers followed the butler through the halls of the mansion, heavily impressed by the artwork and the style of the building. Eventually, after about five minutes of walking and arriving in a whole new wing, the man they were following opened the door to a generic room, it's door the same as the many they had passed. He bowed them in, stating that if they needed him, just ring the bell by the door.

The whole group wandered around the ornate room, gaping at the sheer size if the single bedroom. The room compromised of a king-sized bed, two nightstands on either side, and elaborate lamps on both side. A highly wrought chandelier sparkled overhead. A plushy rug cushioned their feet. The room was themed crimson and a dull gold, skillfully placed together for a rich atmosphere.

The bed was covered in fives suits and one dress. The suits were standard white tie dress; a black jacket, tie, vest, and pants, with a pristine white dress suit as well. The dress was soft lavender, with a tight bodice that flowed out into a wispy skirt. The dress was held up by two spaghetti straps, and the back scooped low, unfortunately revealing a rather long scar Tatsuki had received in one of the numerous fights.

Upon checking, each suit had been custom made to fit each male perfectly, as well as the dress for Tatsuki. Italian leather shoes waited patiently underneath the cuffs of the pants. When reading the tags, one would see that they read Gregorio Armani.

Holding up the suit with his name on it, Ichigo thought _how the hell does this man afford all of this?!_

The others also picked up their clothing as well, inspecting and appreciating the fine material. Everyone noticed that none of the suits, or the dress, had a place to store the blades. Everyone opted to hide them in the closet, just in case a party-goer wandered into the room and saw six well used blades lying in the room.

Tatsuki was grinning from ear to ear, holding her dress up to her figure and twirling slightly. Everyone was staring at her like she had grown a second head.

Noticing the stares, she turned crimson and scowled."What? Even I like to look like a girl sometimes."

All of the males in the room chuckled, earning them a lump on their head to nurse.

"I'm going to change in the bathroom. You guys can have out here," She grabbed the shoes, jewelry, and tights that had been resting next to the dress.

Everyone else grumbled, annoyed at her violence.

"It's not like we see her actually being girlish," Ikkaku commented. The others nodded, agreeing with him.

They started to undress, laying the suits out carefully to not wrinkle them. Everyone felt awkward in such high class fabric. Upon looking in the mirror on one of the walls, each and every one noticed that the suits were very flattering designed to accentuate everyone's specific features. The only problem: no one could figure out how to tie a tie.

"How the hell does this thing go on?!" Renji seemed to have somehow have tied his own hands together, and he wasn't sure how that had happened.

All of the other males seemed to be having the same problems, albeit not as bad as Renji.

Ichigo took pity on him and helped him out. The other four noticed then that he was the only one with a perfectly tied tie.

"What the fuck Ichigo? Since when do you know how to tie one of these things?" Ikkaku asked incredulously.

Ichigo's ever present frown deepened, but it was… sadder than the usual one. "My mom taught me before she… passed."

Everyone shifted uncomfortably at the mention of his past. Everyone in the brotherhood knew of the others past, but it wasn't a topic brought up very often.

Ichigo painted a mask on his face, hiding that bit of pain that the memory of his memory brought up by the mention of his mother. "Well, we better discuss where we all have to be. This place is huge; we might need the remaining half hour to find everywhere we're assigned to."

He walked over to the bathroom door and knocked. "Are you almost done in there Tatsuki?"

"Be out in a minute!" She called from inside.

"Well, she'll find out when she comes out. Okay then," he walked over to where his day clothes were, pulling the piece of paper given to him by Byakuya beforehand. "Let's see…" He scanned the list, looking and analyzing each person's spot. "Shuuhei, you'll be in the adult room. Since apparently, you look the most grown up here," Shuuhei smirked at the comment. "Renji, you'll be in the 'Young Adult' room, watching against the wall. He wants you along the perimeter to keep an eye out for 'potential threats'," Ichigo shook his head. This man was crazy protective. "Ikkaku, you're to wander the halls, just in case. I guess he's worried about actual threats, not just someone trying to hook up with his sister. Toushirou, you and Tatsuki are going to be in the gardens. You guys have to act like brother and sister. This shouldn't be too hard," Ichigo read down the list, finally finding his name at the bottom of the list. "Ah hell," Ichigo crumbled the slip into a ball and continued to squeeze it seemed like it would turn back into pulp.

"Ichigo, where are gonna be during this whole thing?" Shuuhei questioned.

"I have to escort Rukia the entire night."

The group laughed long and hard collectively, giving them another bump on top of their heads.

~?~?~?~?~

"Nii-sama, do you have a moment?" Rukia knocked on the door to his study. She stuck her head in through the crack.

"You may enter Rukia," He didn't look up as she fully entered the room. She kept her head down, looking at the carpet out of respect.

"What is it Rukia? Is everything ready for tonight's festivities?" he continued to scrawl his signature across more paper.

"Yes nii-sama. Everything is already. But I was wondering if it would be alright to inquire who the group of young people who arrived at the door earlier?" Her head was still bowed as she spoke.

"They are here as some extra protection for you. I do not want to risk you wandering off again and Kaien having to save you once again," Rukia blushed out of embarrassment. That little incident was still fresh in her mind.

"I understand nii-sama, but I think I can handle myself," She was trying to prove herself to him, but with he wasn't going to trust her, how could she?

"That will be for me to decide," He added a little more forcefully. "That is enough Rukia. They have all been notified where they will be during the party. One of them will be with you throughout the night. He will meet you by at the entrance hall. Remember Rukia, this event is crucial to not only the Kuchiki family, but to the business world as well. Do not mess up."

Rukia continued to look down, now ashamed. She had made one mistake in her life, and now she would never be forgiven for it. The constant surveillance, not allowed anywhere unless she was in a large and trusted crowd… It annoyed the hell out of her sometimes.

"I promise I won't disappoint you nii-sama," she bowed, avoiding his face. She knew he wasn't looking at her anyway.

"Then you may go," throughout the interaction, he had not looked at her once.

Rukia straightened her back, her eyes for once leaving the floor. He still was not looking at her. Trying to not let even a single droplet leave her eyes, Rukia turned about-face and left the study.

After she was gone and the door was closed, Byakuya looked up and sighed. He despised being so cold towards her, but she needed the discipline to be a proper Kuchiki. He looked at one of the only two frames residing on his desk. The one he was currently gazing at was a headshot of his late wife Hisana. The other was of Rukia as child, sleeping by the fireplace, curled up on the couch peacefully. He had snuck the photograph without anyone knowing, not even the staff. No one even knew he had it, as Rukia had never been behind his desk and the staff wasn't allowed to touch his desk.

He picked up the picture of Hisana, running his over her cheek. "Hisana… what would you have done, if you were here?"

~?~?~?~?~

Ichigo pulled uncomfortably at the collar of his suit. Everyone was standing in position, playing with the communicators hidden inside the cuffs of the suits, and the earrings provided for Tatsuki. They had discovered them after Ikkaku had stumbled and landed on it, sending a shriek through everyone's ears.

Ichigo was really starting to wonder about this man. Who would go to such lengths to protect this one person that would be in a crowd the entire night? He knew that this family was important to the business world; nationally and internationally alike. The Kuchiki group was the only business in the world that had made its empire without help of stockholders or any traditional business standards. And then add the fact that they were nobles in Japan, the Kuchiki family weren't just born with silver spoons in their mouths; their spoons were gold with precious jewel inlays.

He pressed a button on the inside of his sleeve, activating the microphone. "Is everyone ready? T-minus fifteen minutes till this shindig begins."

"_Born ready Ichigo!"_ Renji.

"_Hn… All set."_ Toushirou.

"_Let's get this over with." _Tatsuki.

_Crash! "Damn vase! Uh… all ready."_ Ikkaku.

"_Let's go."_ Shuuhei.

Ichigo's grin was excited. They were a well oiled machine, ready to take on any challenge. He lowered the microphone from his mouth, taking his hand off the button for the microphone. He wished there was a clock on one of the walls. He guessed there was about fifteen minutes left until the party began and the Kuchiki princess would be arriving soon. He sighed. This party was probably going to last awhile, pretty far into the night. He would do a good job, even if he didn't like it. Who knew; maybe they would get paid more.

A few more minutes passed, and Ichigo passed the time by watching servants scramble back and forth in an attempt to get everything completely prepared for the festivities. And then Rukia finally appeared.

Ichigo attempted to not let his breath wander out in a gasp. Before, even though she was dressed exactly the same and nothing had changed hair or make-up wise, Ichigo hadn't being paying attention to her when he had first seen her. But now, he truly saw her.

She was absolutely radiant. Her petite frame was sheathed in a beautiful black number, with a thick strap on only one shoulder. The bottom of the dress was uneven; the left side slid down sharply from the knee into the right side, ending just above the midpoint of her thigh. The fabric clung perfectly to her figure, accentuating each curve in just the right way. The tight bun on the back of her head made her classy, and that bang hanging down the front of her face gave her a somewhat mysterious air. The make-up on her face highlighted her beautifully full lips and shining amethyst eyes.

Ichigo cursed himself for staring too long. She was just a client; there wouldn't be any more interactions after this. And besides, he didn't really go for the spoiled rich type anyway.

Rukia was walking down the stairs in almost-too-high heels, but nothing too gaudy. The open-toed shoes went perfectly with her dress. She looked down out him from the staircase, appraising him.

He blushed slightly at her unwavering stare. After feeling extravagantly dressed in the simple suit, he now felt extremely underdressed. Rukia approached him after fully descending from the staircase.

"You cleaned up nicely," Rukia was standing in front him, looking up at his tall form. Even with the heels, she barely reached his chin. She was smirking at him, a completely different disposition from before. She caught him off guard slightly, but he steadied himself and attempted a retort.

"At least I cleaned up," Ichigo's scowl deepened.

Rukia frowned, extremely tempted to bury her heel into his shin. But unfortunately that would be unbecoming of her. She instead settled on replying. "At least I'm cleaned up enough that there isn't anything else to clean," It wasn't the best comeback by far, but at least she had said something in return.

His scowl turned into a smirk, happy that he had won the round. Neither of them realized how casually their exchange was; as if they had been long-time friends reuniting instead of two people who were meeting for the first time and would probably never see each other again.

"So you're the one who has to follow me all night?" Rukia's arms were crossed over chest, leaning slightly on one leg, completely relaxed at the moment.

"I guess you could say that," he was leaning against the wall, one foot resting against the plaster, and his arms also across his chest.

Rukia laughed a little. "Well, there's only a few minutes left until the party starts. We should head to the front door. I have to greet every single guest that walks through that door. So you'll be standing there for at least… a half- hour? That seems about right," She smirked mirthfully at his widening eyes, and she could tell he wanted to just smash his head repeatedly against the wall.

"How many damn people are coming to this stupid party?" He lifted his body from the wall and began walking down the hallway.

Rukia began to walk as well, glaring at him. "This party is not stupid strawberry. And somewhere around a hundred I think. But there's always a possibility of more."

They turned down several hallways that Ichigo attempted to keep track of while his eyebrows twitched in annoyance. "My name is_ not_ strawberry. It means one who protects midget."

That was it. A millisecond later, Ichigo was grasping his leg, biting his lips together to try and keep back the yelp. Rukia herself was gracefully walking along the hall, not looking back at her supposed protector. "Can't handle a little poke from a stiletto strawberry?" Her smirk returned with a vengeance, as she continued to stroll leisurely down the hall.

"Damn dwarf…" He ran after her, bracing himself for a night for what was surely to be one of the worst nights of his life.

~?~?~?~?~

Holy crap! Am I releasing two chapters in one month?! Who knew it was possible?! XD. Well, here is chapter four. I just want you to know, the party isn't the only thing that is going to happen in this story. I actually have somewhat of this planned! Well, bye bye for now!


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